running without a viscous fan

Hi all,
my belt tensioner has started squealing and while looking for the best (cheapest) way of sorting it out I came across a thread on another site saying that it is quite fine to run without a viscous fan as Tdi engines run cool anyway. I only use it for short distances to work and weekend travelling about 70 miles to mid wales, I don't tow, I have the correct amount of coolant with no leaks. Oh and winter is coming as well.
Would just like your thoughts , is this ok or not ok
regards Mark.

Please search this site. It's discussed at least once a month, but I concur with the above. Never had a viscous fan on a 200/300. Only an electric.

I run my 300 without its fan even towing a trailer with a vw caddy on when the weather was hot it never over heated. I took it off to investigate an oil leak over 18 months ago and have never put it back on since, I've even stopped carrying it around.

:doh:

Yep, tried taking it off, didn't like it, stuck it back. No change in mpg, warmup, etc

disco1997 said:

it's there for a reson

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wot would that be?

You might find that the fan was fitted to be extra safe.

For example If you took your landrover towing around Europe you might need the fan, but you don't in England.

So yeah it's there for a reason but land rover didn't tell us when we would need it.

tbh the extra 2 bhp you gain from removing it and the so called extra mpg aint even gonna be noticeable so if u wanna leave it there leave it there

Just don't go through water

The Mad Hat Man said:

Just don't go through water

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not a prob in a doozil

thanks all, still not sure which way to go, my disco returns around 31 mpg on a weekend run to mid Wales. Just thought if it was not needed, then why have on. cheers all.

Even ok without one on an auto 300 here!

It does make maintenance on the front of the engine so much easier too...

wiltshire landyman said:

not a prob in a doozil

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Problem - no, but any fan will spray muddy water everywhere. One of the main advantages of a 'leccy fan is that you can turn it off when you want to (wading) and on when you want to (when the injun gets warm). I have yet to find a bad point about elec fans and only good points........

At least no worse points than having air con fans in front of the rad. In fact the air con fans can be used as the cooling fans, if yu have them .

The Mad Hat Man said:

At least no worse points than having air con fans in front of the rad. In fact the air con fans can be used as the cooling fans, if yu have them .

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So would you just turn the air con on to use em as cooling fans or wire em up to come on when you flick a switch???

Mine has been removed on my 300 Tdi auto for the past year, BUT twice I have needed it back on, once when caught on the A303 in a 3 hour traffic jam and again when green laning along some very narrow lanes. Both were on a warm sunny day.

The rest of the time even when towing its been fine.

So carry it with you or replace with an electric one that you can switch on when needed.

DISCOVERY1-DAZ said:

So would you just turn the air con on to use em as cooling fans or wire em up to come on when you flick a switch???

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just fit a secondary switch to override the air con and switch em on.

Mine has a separate switch. I do however need to use it fairly offen as i think my rad is pretty filthy :doh:

Pedrover said:

Mine has a separate switch. I do however need to use it fairly offen as i think my rad is pretty filthy :doh:

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i thought my old v8 was runnin hot but cleaned and cleaned the rad and no change,untill i moved the oil cooler out the way:doh:

thanks again all, can't really stretch to a leccy fan this side of xmas but I think the removal of the viscous fan is on the cards. Before I do open up the bonnet I have to decide wether to buy a bearing for the tensioner or a complete tensioner. decisions, decisions.

Pedrover said:

Mine has a separate switch. I do however need to use it fairly offen as i think my rad is pretty filthy :doh:

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How did you wire up the switch to use the aircon fans mate????

Cheers